After stepping out from the fireplace at the Leaky Cauldron, Tom first went shopping in Diagon Alley.
Only then did he pass back through the Leaky Cauldron into the Muggle world.
By the muddy roadside, he spotted a familiar carriage.
On the driver's seat sat a familiar figure—it was Mr. August, the Riddle family's butler.
"Good day, Master Tom." Mr. August jumped down from the carriage and opened the door for him.
"Thank you…" Tom murmured, then climbed inside.
Before leaving the safehouse, he had already sent a letter home, instructing them to wait for him at this time and place.
Naturally, Mr. Riddle hadn't refused. In fact, he had long wanted Tom to live at the Riddle Manor.
Even though Tom was an intimidating wizard, he was still his legitimate blood heir—the one meant to inherit the family estate.
So, Mr. Riddle truly did hope to cultivate a relationship with his grandson.
Mr. August shut the door, thinking that young Master Tom didn't seem quite as frightening as he'd imagined.
At the very least, he was far more well-mannered than his father, old Tom.
That arrogant, conceited man had never once said thank you to any of the servants.
The carriage soon began to move, and after more than half an hour, it arrived at the Riddle Manor.
Mr. and Mrs. Riddle were already waiting for them.
However, just like last time, Tom didn't see his so-called father, old Tom, anywhere.
Mr. and Mrs. Riddle boarded the carriage.
"Let's go to the room I've prepared for you first. You can put your things away and then have something to eat," Mr. Riddle said with a warm smile.
"Alright," Tom replied calmly.
Although the two elderly people in front of him were his grandparents, he still felt a bit restrained.
This was rare for Tom, who was usually charming and sociable.
In fact, at Hogwarts, everyone who knew Tom liked him—well, everyone except for that bastard Wade.
Because Tom's tricks never worked on him…
After that, the three of them sat in silence in the carriage.
Mr. and Mrs. Riddle just kept stealing glances at their grandson, liking what they saw more and more.
Tom really did look a lot like old Tom—equally handsome and easy to like.
Though Tom felt uncomfortable being stared at like that…
Compared to staying cooped up in the safehouse with that bastard Wade, having to endure a few extra looks here at the Riddle estate wasn't such a big deal.
After a while, Tom couldn't take the staring anymore. Rather than keep being looked at like that, he figured he might as well say something.
"The quiet place I mentioned in my letter before…"
"It's ready. The moment I received your letter, I had people start work on it right away. It was just completed recently," Mr. Riddle said with a smile.
"We'll take you there after dinner. If there's anything else you need, you can tell August directly. I wasn't sure exactly what you had in mind, so I just went with what I thought might work…"
Sensing Tom's stiffness, Mr. Riddle took the initiative to start chatting with him, throwing out a few casual topics.
That made Tom feel a bit more at ease, and he began to warm up slightly to his grandparents.
After unpacking and finishing lunch, Mr. Riddle took Tom alone to a wooded area behind the manor.
This forest was also part of the estate.
Amid the trees stood a newly built two-story cottage, looking quite nice.
And since it was nestled within the woods, it met the requirements Tom had mentioned in his letter.
Secluded, hidden…
"I've already instructed the servants not to go near this part of the forest," Mr. Riddle said.
Tom quietly looked around at the surroundings, feeling very satisfied.
Aside from the secluded location, the house had a large clearing around it, perfect for practicing new spells freely.
It was far more comfortable than the safehouse.
Mr. Riddle asked, "Well? Are you satisfied with the place?"
"Thank you. This place is excellent," Tom said sincerely.
"I'm your grandfather; no need for thanks," Mr. Riddle said, glancing around. "After I'm gone, this place will be yours anyway."
Tom shook his head. "You'll live a long and healthy life."
"Ahaha… You must say that kind of thing a lot when you're out in the world, right? No need for such formalities at home. Between blood relatives, there's no need for meaningless pleasantries."
Hearing this, Tom felt a warmth in his chest he couldn't quite explain.
Over the years outside—
Putting aside the days in the orphanage… back then, life had been carefree, after all, he was the one doing the bullying.
But ever since he met that bastard, everything had changed.
He could no longer do as he pleased.
After arriving at Hogwarts, for the sake of his future, he had no choice but to rein in his temper and wear a false mask, socializing with people who were neither as strong nor as talented as him.
To be honest, though Wade was utterly detestable, when he was around, Tom didn't need to pretend.
And now, it seemed there was one more place where he didn't have to wear a mask.
"Alright," Tom replied. This time, he didn't politely say thank you again.
Mr. Riddle nodded in satisfaction. "If you're worried someone might accidentally wander in and disturb you, I can have some guards posted at the entrance to the woods…"
"No need for that. I naturally have my own ways of keeping this place undisturbed," Tom said calmly, his fingers brushing over the wand handle that had slid partway out of his pocket.
Mr. Riddle nodded in understanding. "Alright… then I won't interfere. Hmm… forgive me for not fully understanding your capabilities, but… if it can be avoided, I'd prefer no one gets hurt."
"Don't worry. Even wizards can't harm Muggles at will. Most legends Muggles have about wizards aren't actually true, so there's no need to be too wary of us."
After speaking, Tom felt his words were a bit too absolute, so he added, "Well… there certainly are Dark wizards who commit all sorts of crimes, but… just like among Muggles, criminals exist. It's unavoidable. In any case, we wizards have our own government and enforcement agencies to deal with that…"
"Then I'm reassured," Mr. Riddle said with a smile. "Shall we go in and take a look?"
The house Mr. Riddle had built for Tom was fairly spacious. It wasn't just a simple lab, as Tom had requested in his letter.
There was a sitting room, a kitchen, a study, a bathroom—everything one might expect.
The lab Tom needed had been set up on the second floor.
And right next to it, there was a bedroom.
All the furnishings and layout were more or less what you'd find in a wizard's home.
Tom could move in and live here permanently without any issues.
It had to be said—Mr. Riddle had arranged everything with great care.
"Are you satisfied with it?" Mr. Riddle asked.
"…Yes, very satisfied, but…" Tom hesitated.
To be honest, Tom was feeling genuinely puzzled.
For a Muggle who had supposedly never encountered the wizarding world before, the setup here was far too appropriate.
Mr. Riddle smiled. "I know what you're wondering. On my own, I couldn't have arranged everything this well. But… there's someone else in our family who has seen what a wizard's home looks like, isn't there?"
Tom's eyes widened. "You mean…"
"Yes, Tom… your father. He gave me a lot of useful suggestions."
Hearing this, Tom's emotions instantly became complicated, as if a long-dormant string in his heart had suddenly been plucked—
It felt like… something he'd secretly been hoping for had quietly come into view.
_____
ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃRead two weeks ahead:Patreon: Captain69